The refugee issue continues to be one of the most important topics for Greek government following yesterday’s Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras’s acknowledgment that Greece risks of becoming a ‘storehouse’ of refugees.

Moreover, as it is revealed by the joint letter submitted by Alternate Ministers for Migration Policy and Civil Protection, Yiannis Mouzalas Nikos Toskas to Migration and Home Affairs Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos the risk of Greece exiting the Schengen area is still great.

In their letter, the Greek ministers stressed the importance of upholding the Schengen area, ahead of the EU summit on Dec. 17.

“Free movement of individuals within the Schengen area is an integral part of European citizenship (Articles 20-21 of Lisbon) and is therefore important when considering any proposals in the code not to waste efforts, but to preserve this fundamental principle, which is part of our identity as a Union,” the ministers said in their letter. “In this framework, we have to examine the right balance between security and free movement.”

Regarding Frontex’s regulation, the two ministers pointed out that member-states must give their approval for the execution of any operation. “Already since October, the EU’s heads of state and government decided that Frontex’s mandate should be strengthened, but always according to the framework established by the Treaty and while fully respecting national responsibilities of member-states. Frontex’s regulation requires the consent of requesting member-states in order to decide to organize and execute an operation,” they said.